Spring Cleaning! Tips and tricks.

It's that time of year again! Well... around here, it's kind of ALWAYS that time of year. With 4 kids running around my ankles all day (it's like they shed crumbs!) I feel like I'm always cleaning up, and throwing out any unnecessary items. Both my husband and myself are kinda OCD when it comes to keeping a clean house. Clutter drives us both batty, and makes us cranky. SO- how to do combat "MESS" when I have four kids and a rather busy schedule? Here are two tips that might help you as you dive into your own Spring Cleaning Frenzy!

via Pretty Handy Girl

First Rule- A bag at a time. I'll take a trash bag and focus on one area, or closet, at a time. For instance, my kiddos large closets house clothing AND toys. So I'll take a bag along and focus on a closet a day. Now, there are days when you'll have nothing else to worry about, and maybe knock out two or three closets.... but rule of thumb is start SMALL. You don't want to get discouraged and overwhelm yourself. Make two piles- One for donating, and pile Two for tossing. Be generous with those piles people! Most of us keep way more than is necessary! If your kiddo can't keep their room clean, or their clothes put away, chances are its because they are DROWNING in too much stuff! Make it easy on them.

Second Rule- GIVE AND TOSS!!!! You'll end up with your Donation and Trash piles.... DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT just toss them in the garage!!! There is no use in gutting and simplifying if you are simply adding to the chaos of the garage! You MUST follow through with your plan. Make One day a week your "Trip" day... stop by your local thrift store and make donations. Then throw that trash away! There are also lots of social media groups out there for selling lightly used items, we could all use that extra cash on our next Target trip.... am I right?!

Ok. So there it is for now. If you still need help, or have specific questions I'd LOVE to answer them for you! Good luck!

Soothing, Budget-Friendly Nursery Design

Back in 2010, after having two sweet little girls, we found out we were expecting our first BOY. Oh my goodness, were we excited! Not only were we going to have a little boy join our family, but we also had just purchased our first home! For the first time I was able to PAINT. THE. WALLS. We all know that's a big deal... after years of apartment living, I was no longer stuck with the kind of off white, not really cream, didn't really match anything color, that I had lived with for so many years. I carefully planned out my color pallet. A soft, soothing mix of pastels with little pops of red to make it fun and anchor the room. 

A nursery, in my opinion, is as much a room for the Mom, as it is for Baby. It's our hideaway. A refuge from the rest of the (probably less than spotless) house. The hours we spend nursing our newborns should be done in comfort, and allow us to mentally take that break from life as well. That's exactly what I created. A soft haven of colors and textures that put my mind at ease. 

I LOVE that red dresser, with the polka-dot white knobs. And the cute little white bench that- dual purpose- hides baby toys! Functionality, my friends. I swear by it. Most of the accessories were the result of hours spent at my sewing machine . I made the quilt, crib skirt, diaper holder and painted the dresser myself. The crib was a fantastic $10 find on craigslist. I know, right?! And I scored my rocker 50% off at Babies R Us. 

I hope you enjoy the pictures. I can't believe I just wrote my first "room feature" post. Kind of awesome! And many more to come over the next few weeks! Have a FABULOUS day!

Welcome to Canvas House Designs

Hello, and WELCOME!!! I am SO excited to have a place where I can connect with other people and finally share fun, colorful projects! For as long as I can remember, I've been OBSESSED with color! From early elementary school, when I'd put on my hot pink stirrup pants and neon colored t-shirt, to Junior High when I BEGGED my Mom to paint my room lavender! Color made me HAPPY. It spoke to me like few things did. I wasn't a sporty girl... I mean, I liked to run and enjoyed being "athletic".... if that's what you'd call enjoying gym class haha. But I wasn't the kind of girl coaches noticed on the field. My mediocre efforts weren't enough to merit a whole lot of praise, so I moved on to find things I was GOOD at. I'm the middle of 7 children, and anyone in my family will tell you that I would FIGHT to be noticed. Once I realized I was good at putting colors together, things started clicking in my head. From decorating my first REAL room as a teen, to putting outfits together, I finally started to find my place in life. I could do design. And I could be good at it. 

I got married at a rather young age... 2 months shy of 19... to my best friend. I didn't know just how lucky I was, in my choice of companions... but man I hit the jackpot! My honey has supported me with my obsession, and even subscribed me to a magazine he thought I would enjoy! (HGTV mag. If you don't get it, START! It's amazing!) For the past 10 years I've spent my extra minutes and hours pouring over literature and pictures. Magazines, books, blogs, and the wonderful world of pinterest. I've spent COUNTLESS hours learning color theory, and how to put different pieces together in a room. I also took up sewing.... because one outlet of design just wasn't enough, ha! 

I'm finally in a place in life, where I feel comfortable with what I know. Although I continue adding to my little jar of knowledge, I feel comfortable helping others. I hope in sharing what I've learned with you, YOU also find confidence in your own ability to make your HOUSE a HOME. Your House is your Canvas. What you put on that canvas should reflect your inner happy, and I want to help you with that! Send me a message ANY time, I'd love to answer any questions you may have!